We’ve been hearing of Toyota manufactured plug-in hybrids for some time now but have yet to have any official word of them being ready for production. Luckily, Toyota is gearing up to debut a modernized version of the Prius at the Frankfurt Motor Show that does in fact let you charge the car by plugging it in.

Other details were also released today that state the car is getting updated to allow the car to go from a dead stop up to 62mph on electricity alone for a maximum range of 12.5 miles. This will make for an even more environmentally friendly car as the most gas is used when you are first accelerating.

That’s all we have for now but we’ll keep you posted as more details arrive.

via autoblog

Tags: all electric, hybrid, phev, Plug-in, Prius

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It looks like it is all systems go as far as the PHEV is concerned. Green Star Products announced that the final phase of the testing protocols for the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle were successfully completed, perhaps shooting down all doubts with regards to the reliability of this concept car.

Test result highlights:

• The PHEV easily completed the scheduled 100 mile range test in simulated intra-city driving.
• The vehicle consumed 0.70 gallons of gasoline during its test, which equates to 143 miles per gallon (143 mpg).
• The vehicle also consumed about 75 cents worth of electricity that was used to charge the battery pack the previous night.
• At the end of the run, the battery pack still contained approximately 35% of its original charge. This was further confirmed by several high speed laps around the track at the end of the test. One of the final laps clocked its speed within 4.5 seconds off the track record, which not only confirms its power but also its handling ability on the race track.
• The most impressive statistic of this demonstration was the fact that the backup engine and generator were only a 1.6 kW unit. In fact, for those people who are not acquainted with electric power, this energy equates to the consumption of the average hand-held bathroom hair dryer. In effect, the backup generator can be visualized as equivalent to a bathroom hair dryer. This unique high-efficiency mini hybrid system is part of a patent pending complete package.

Mr. Joseph LaStella, President of Green Star, stated that a 5-page, in-depth article was published on June 4, 2009, by the Times Tribune in Kentucky, where the writer of the article illustrated her personal feelings about her test drive of the electric vehicle.

(Source) Press

Tags: backup generator, battery pack, car test, depth article, final laps, final phase, final test, high efficiency, hybrid electric vehicle, hybrid system, impressive statistic, lastella, miles per gallon, patent pending, personal feelings, phev, star products, test one, test result, test series

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With lesser need to kick up the cooling system of cars, PGW Glass has proven that it can make a difference as far as in-car temperature and fuel consumption issues are concerned. Apparently this is because a car’s air-conditioning system adds load towards a car’s performance.

However, if they are properly aided by shielding sun rays from making changes within the desired car temperature, car engines such as this one from the PHEV can perform better.

“Over repeated UDDS cycles, the Sungate EP glazing reduced the air conditioning power and resulted in an increase in fuel economy,” said John Rugh, Senior Mechanical Engineer for NREL. “The adjusted, utility factor-weighted fuel economy increased from 36.8 to 42.9 mpg for the Sungate EP thermal load case, while the adjusted, UF-weighted electrical energy consumption was roughly equivalent.”

Even in gas-fueled cars, this is the same. The only thing different here is that the PHEV runs totally on electricity. Either way, the impact of proper cooling can change the fuel-consumption or energy-consumption level of cars if the load is attended to. And it looks like Pittsburgh Glass Works has given motorists something to smile about.

(Source) Press

Tags: air conditioning system, car engines, consumption issues, consumption level, cooling system, electrical energy consumption, electricity, fuel consumption, fuel economy, fuel efficiency, glass works, mechanical engineer, motorists, phev, sun rays, sungate

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Much has been said about the highly anticipated plug-in hybrid vehicle PHEV and it looks like its starting stages are getting off on the right foot. Green Star Products, Inc. today announced that preliminary testing of its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) has been successfully completed at the Corbin Motor Speedway in Kentucky.

This was a preliminary test for the full demonstration event scheduled during the first week of June. However, this preliminary test did produce some impressive on-road efficiency data as follows:

1. The test run was designed to simulate an intra-city driving delivery truck route at the test track.
2. The run consisted of 400 laps for a total of 100 miles.
3. The test included eight 10-minute delivery stops and a short lunch break during the 100-mile run.
4. The test vehicle was driven by 3 drivers and included 2 track test drivers and Brooks Agnew, President of Global Green Cars.

Intra-city driving delivery vehicles are the highest polluters and least energy efficient vehicles in use today on a per mile basis. For example, 85% of the huge U.S. Post Office fleet travels less than 13 miles per day yet consumes 2 to 4 gallons of gasoline per day. This is equivalent to a mileage of 3 to 6 miles per gallon. Compare this to the 100 mile test run of the GSPI plug-in hybrid which demonstrated over 100 miles per gallon at its preliminary test run.

(Source) Press

Tags: brooks agnew, delivery truck, demonstration event, efficiency data, energy efficient vehicles, green cars, hybrid electric vehicle, hybrid vehicle, lunch break, mile test, miles per gallon, minute delivery, motor speedway, phev, star products, test drivers, track test, truck route, u s post office

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Bright Automotive is busy developing their own version of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) that will achieve 100 mpg for the average customer. Also, the name has been finally revealed. The car will be called the IDEA. A concept version of the IDEA will be shown to the public for the first time on April 21, 2009 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

“We named our first vehicle the IDEA because of the role it will play in helping revolutionize American transportation and moving the country toward a more secure and sustainable energy future,” said John Waters, CEO and President of Bright Automotive. “We know it is possible to achieve dramatic, breakthrough fuel efficiency and deliver tremendous customer value. This is the compelling idea that drives our company and it is fully captured in our first vehicle.”

Bright Automotive (www.brightautomotive.com) has the most experienced PHEV, hybrid and electric vehicle team in the industry. Waters developed the battery pack for General Motors’ first production electric vehicle, the EV1, and other company executives and engineers have spent years working for major auto manufacturers and suppliers. Bright Automotive will begin high volume production by the end of 2012 – with an annual run rate of 50,000 units. To produce its vehicle, the company plans to create over 5,000 jobs by 2013.

(Source) Press

Tags: american transportation, auto manufacturers, battery pack, capitol hill, customer value, dramatic breakthrough, electric vehicle team, EV1, fuel efficiency, General Motors, high volume, hybrid electric vehicle, john waters, major auto, MPG, phev, sustainable energy future, volume production

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